Rose Heights teenager charged with murder

No. 23 Wednesday, November 25, 2009
A 16 year-old male of Rose Heights in St. James was on Saturday morning slapped with murder charges by crime fighters attached to the Montego Freeport CIB, this after he allegedly stabbed to death his 22 year-old neighbour.
Charged with the capital offence is Fitzroy Gilpin, otherwise called 'Odene', a mechanical engineering student, while the deceased has been identified as Ricardo Smith, otherwise called 'Kedeen', a mason, both of Rose Heights.
   The reporter visited the community and there was gloom everywhere as residents condemned the dispute between two neighbours, which led to one being killed by the other. Both men reside in homes which are adjacent to each other.
   It is reported that both men have been locked in a dispute since September of this year and that on Friday afternoon, both men were in the company of a group of friends at a location in the Rose Heights community known as Vietnam when another dispute developed.
   An eyewitness said that the dispute was squashed by the other youths who urged the accused teenager to go home, but the victim stood his ground. It is further stated that minutes after Gilpin left the location, Smith gave chase while muttering, "Mi nah teck no diss from no bwoy."
   At approximately 5:45 p.m. he caught up with the accused at his gate which is also the entrance to his home and both men again got into a fight, this time with Smith hurling several stones at the 16 year-old. He reportedly ran over to him and grabbed hold of him at which point a knife came into play which was used to stab Smith in a section of his neck.
   Several residents who were on the scene attempted to quell the dispute, but alas it was too late as the wounded man was seen covered in blood. They rushed him to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he died while he was being treated.
   The police were alerted to the scene and upon their arrival the area where the incident occurred was processed. Gilpin's mother reportedly brought him into the station where he was arrested and charged.
   The police are at present continuing their investigations. They have, however, expressed their concern about the area where the stabbing took place, as it is at the entrance to the same lane where a female telecommunications clerk stabbed a hairdresser to death two weeks ago, allegedly over an incident involving her boyfriend.